This invention relates to the field of chairs or couches. More particularly, this invention relates to a couch or chair for supporting a human occupant in a predetermined posture which reduces both physical and mental stress thereby allowing for enhanced work productivity.
Present day work environments are based on traditional methods of dealing with paper data bases. Books, ledgers, papers and the like are often scattered around a work surface located at a suitable height for a person sitting upright. As electronic displays have been introduced into the workplace, these displays have been added to the desk top as a device which had to coexist with, rather than replace, the paper database This phenomenon has lead to numerous side effects to workers resulting from occupational stress which effectively reduces the very productivity improvements which the automation was intended to bring. Office workers have blamed the video display units for eye strain, muscular discomfort, backaches, emotional disorientation, anxiety and a general increase in stress levels.
However, it has been determined that many of these problems stemmed not from the video display unit, but from the physical relationship with the terminal. For example backache may be traced to poor posture, eye strain may be due to poor lighting and screen reflections, and stress may result from the intrusion of a video display unit in a work environment designed for paper management. These problems all result in an overall decrease in work productivity.
The chairs presently available for use in conjunction with electronic work stations have improved somewhat over the past ten years. These chairs offer improved ergonomics, aesthetics and modern materials. However, such contemporary chairs do not directly improve the work environment, but only aid in the worker's posture and comfort.